Stage 2 of vCenter installation fails with error "Failed to run vdcpromo" when rebuilding vCenter server in ELM

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• A rebuild of the vCenter server fails with below error during stage 2 of the installation.

Failed to run vdcpromo

• This issue occurs when the vCenter is part of enhanced linked mode.
• In the /var/log/firsrtboot/vmafd-firstboot.py_####_stderr.log

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Initializing Directory server instance ...
Vdcpromo failed. Error 9107: Possible errors:
LDAP crror: Already exists
Win Error: Operation failed with error ERROR_TOO_MANY_NAMES (68)
 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS <class cis.baseCISException. Base InstallException'> 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS Exception: Traceback (most recent call last):
     File "/usr/lib/vmuarc-vmafd/firstboot/umafd-firstboot.py", line 184, in main
  controller.firstboot()
  File "/usr/lib/unware-vmafd/firstboot/umafd-firstboot.py", line 55, in firstboot
  self.init()
  File "/usr/lib/umuarc-vmafd/firstboot/umafd-firstboot.py", linc 61, in init
       service.init()
  File "/usr/lib/umuare-vmafd/firstboot/identityinstall/umdir Install.py", line 406, in init
       self.setup_domain()
  File "/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/identityinstall/vmdirInstall.py", line 258, in setup_domain
       raise self.utils. createInstallException (
cis.baseCISException. BaseInstallException: {
       "detail": [
             {
                    "id": "install. vmafd. vmdir_vdcpromo_error",
                    "translatable": "Failed to run vdcpromo",
                    "localized": "Failed to run vdcpromo"
              }
        ],
        "componentKey": "vmafd",
        "problemId": "install. vmafd. vmdir_vdcpromo_error",
        resolution": {
            "id": "install. vmafd. vmdir_vdcpromo_error.resolution",
             "translatable": "Please search of these symptoms in the VMware Knowledge Base for any known issues and possible workarounds. If none can be found, please collect a support bundle and open a support request.",
             "localized": "Please search of these symptoms in the VMware Knowledge Base for any known issues and possible workarounds. If none can be found, please collect a support bundle and open a support request."
        }
 }

Environment

• vCenter Server 7.x
• vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

Stale entry of the previous vCenter instance remains in the vSphere SSO database. When the new vCenter attempts to register itself using the same FQDN, the vdcpromo process fails because the entry already exists.

Resolution

Clean Up the stale records by following the steps below:

1. Log into an existing, healthy vCenter in the same SSO domain via SSH.
   
   
2. Unregister the failed vCenter server by running the command below:
   cmsso-util unregister --node-pnid <FQDN_of_failed_VC> --username [email protected]
   The detailed steps are available in the below KB:
   Using the cmsso command to unregister vCenter with External PSC or vCenter with Embedded PSC from Single Sign-On
   
   
3. Ensure the stale vCenter node is no longer available with the command below.
   /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcrepadmin -f showservers -h localhost -u administrator
   The detailed steps are available in the below KB:
   Determining replication agreements and status with the Platform Services Controller (PSC)
   
   
4. Retry the stage 2 of the newly deployed vCenter server installation.